Signalling Question

Hi

I have searched the forum but haven't found any info on the below, any help would much appreciated:

In Short;
Is there a way to manually control a signal, that AI cannot override.

In Detail;
I have a layout where the aim will be to sort and shunt trains arriving from a mainline. Multiple trains will arrive from a portal.

My plan was to set them to Navigate To a Track Mark. As the train leaves the mainlines and enters the yard, there is a 'waiting area' made of ten parallel lines.

Each of these ten lines has an entrance from the main line and then a signal and then an entrance to the yard. Then the track mark the trains are trying to get to.

If there is a train waiting on line one of the waiting area, that route to the track mark is blocked and it would attempt to take next the line.

I want it to do this, get to the signal at the end and not be able to progress any further.

When I am ready I can select the train, cancel the route and take it from there.

Ideally I would like a simple switch that swaps the signal between auto and red.

I had considered using the command that prevents AI from switching points. But this won't work, I want them to pick a route to attempt to get to the track mark, I just want them to only just not make it!

Thanks in advance.

You can get drivers to stack up by using a Drive To track mark instead of Drive Via or Navigate to or Navigate Via. The Navigate command will let the AI chose their best way possible to a specific destination while the Drive is a bit more specific.

In addition to these commands, there are also path control rules which you can use to lock junctions and signals and prevent the AI from veering away from their specified paths.

I'm not familiar with how to use these commands, and I've had good luck with the Drive To commands to prevent AI from driving around things. I will say that placing track marks before, in the middle of a stretch of track, and then after seems to keep the AI from going all over the place. The before track mark gets the AI lined up and ready. The middle of the line track mark gets the AI on the proper track, and finally the exit track mark puts the AI out of the area.

As far as the AI locking junctions, there maybe a command or script for that. I can't remember, but there are so many scripts and driver commands which have no description or have descriptions and instructions in foreign languages which are not very helpful for us, but may do what you need.

I think what you are trying to do is this.
Issue several trains from a portal to your (UK term) Arrival Lines. By having a trackmark on the approach to the yard, after the arrival lines converge again, and issuing a Navigate To Trackmark (not Drive To) driver command, an identical command for each train, the trains will stack up in the Arrival Lines, trying to get to the yard trackmark.

By using the Set Signal Extended rule, <kuid2:47662:20002:4>, 10 times for each siding, you can lock all the signals at the end of the Arrival Lines at Red, to keep the trains in the arrival lines.

Use a single instance of this rule, or Driver Command Set Selected Signal State <kuid2:368725:60002:6>, to change a single signal to proceed, to allow any one train into the yard.

Is this what you need?

Edit: I've not tried this, so I'm not certain if the Driver Command will overwrite the Rule. But a 2nd use of the rule will cancel the first 10 uses. Hope that's clear.

Thank you for the quick replys,

davidbird said:

I think what you are trying to do is this.
Issue several trains from a portal to your (UK term) Arrival Lines. By having a trackmark on the approach to the yard, after the arrival lines converge again, and issuing a Navigate To Trackmark (not Drive To) driver command, an identical command for each train, the trains will stack up in the Arrival Lines, trying to get to the yard trackmark.

By using the Set Signal Extended rule, <kuid2:47662:20002:4>, 10 times for each siding, you can lock all the signals at the end of the Arrival Lines at Red, to keep the trains in the arrival lines.

Use a single instance of this rule, or Driver Command Set Selected Signal State <kuid2:368725:60002:6>, to change a single signal to proceed, to allow any one train into the yard.

Is this what you need?

Edit: I've not tried this, so I'm not certain if the Driver Command will overwrite the Rule. But a 2nd use of the rule will cancel the first 10 uses. Hope that's clear.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I am trying to achieve. I shall find the assets and give it a go, thank you.

Edit:
I have added the Set Signal Extended Rule and it works great. The trains hold at the signals and stack as required. I can then jump in to any of them. Cancel the route, drive them past the Red then assign it a route based upon what I want it to do or do the work myself

I will later experiment with giving the drivers commands to see if I can get them to pass the signal/set it to proceed.

Thank you for the help.

davidbird said:

By using the Set Signal Extended rule, <kuid2:47662:20002:4>, 10 times for each siding,

Click to expand...

Of course, what I meant was "10 times, once for each siding,"

If you use invisible signals (I use Signal Invisible <kuid2:53425:10001:2>, builtin to TANE) ,then when you jump in the cab and manually drive one of your stacked trains into the sorting sidings, you can't be accused of a SPAD, won't be relieved of duty, won't have to take compulsory drugs and alcohols tests...